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CEO Awards
Most Respect CEOs
In collaboration with the
International Institute of Management
Hall of Fame
CEO Profile
Robert M. Dutkowsky - CEO of Tech Data Corporation
The Sales CEO
Company Profile
Industry: Computers Wholesale
Employees: 7,600
Revenues: $23B
Market Cap: $1.84B
CEO Achievements
In January 2006, Tech Data - the world’s second
largest distributor of IT products—named technology industry veteran Dutkowsky as its new CEO and Board Member in October 2006. Dutkowsky’s first order of business was to oversee the final
stages of Tech Data’s European restructuring and business
optimization plans. He also turned his eye toward expansion and
introduced a new corporate strategy of execution, diversification
and innovation that would be the foundation for Tech Data’s future
success. Very quickly, the company was once again positioned for
profitable growth throughout all regions in which it operates. His
strategy paid early dividends. At the conclusion of Dutkowsky’s
first full fiscal year with the company, Tech Data generated a
record $23.4 billion in net sales with 80 percent increase in net
income.
During the economic challenges of 2009, Tech Data followed Robert
Dutkowsky’s strategy of strategy of execution, diversification and
innovation to position itself, its customers and its vendor partners
for future growth. Despite declines in net sales
experienced across the entire IT industry, Tech Data has created new efficiencies,
enhanced services levels, broadened its solutions resulting
in increased
profits.
Tech Data made a number of acquisitions expanding its
product offering, customer portfolio, technical capabilities and
geographic reach. These included the acquisition of certain assets
of Compumedi, a leading IBM distributor in Spain; certain assets of
Investronica’s Portuguese IT distribution operation; certain assets
of Man and Machine’s German-based Autodesk distribution operations;
and certain assets of Ireland’s sole Autodesk distributor Cadco. In
the Americas, Tech Data announced several distribution agreements,
further diversifying its solutions portfolio. These new and expanded
vendor partnerships include Force10 Networks, Brocade’s IP
networking solutions, Pelco video surveillance solutions, Sharp LCD
TVs and more.
For its last fiscal year (reported Jan. 31, 2009), Tech Data
generated a record $24.1 billion in net sales.
CEO Bio
Robert Dutkowsky
oversees all aspects of the company’s extensive worldwide IT
products distribution operations. He joined Tech Data in 2006 and
has over 30 years experience in the IT industry including senior
management positions in sales, marketing and channel distribution
with leading manufacturers and software publishers IBM, EMC and J.D.
Edwards.
Dutkowsky began his IT career in 1977 when he joined IBM as a
salesman. He spent 20 years with IBM, where his rise through the
ranks included various sales and marketing and general management
positions, and tenures as director, Software and Services; vice
president, Product Marketing; executive assistant to former IBM CEO
Lou Gerstner; vice president, Distribution – IBM Asia/Pacific; and
vice president, Worldwide Sales and Marketing – RS/6000 product
line.
In 1997, Dutkowsky joined EMC as executive vice president,
Markets and Channels before being promoted to president, Data
General in 1999. During his time at EMC, the company’s revenue grew
from $2 billion to $9 billion. In 2000, Dutkowsky was named
president, chairman and CEO for GenRad, leading the company to a
successful merger with Teradyne, a test equipment manufacturer for
semiconductor, electronics and network systems companies. Later, in
2002, Dutkowsky served as chairman, president and CEO of J.D.
Edwards until the company integrated with PeopleSoft. Immediately
prior to joining Tech Data, Dutkowsky was chairman, president and
CEO of Egenera, Inc., a utility computing company based in Marlboro,
Mass.
He serves on the board of directors for SEPATON, a data storage
and protection manufacturer. He also is a member of the board of
directors for the United Way of Tampa Bay, the Tampa Bay Rays
Foundation and the advisory board of the University of South Florida
Business School.
Dutkowsky earned a bachelor’s degree in labor and industrial
relations from Cornell University. He also is a recipient of the
2000 Ellis Island Medal of Honor recognizing distinguished American
citizens
CEO Insights
What I remember about (my early teachers) is that
their expectation of excellence was high.. I struggled a bit in
early years in school... They forced kids like me to continue to
come along...I struggled with math...But if Mrs. Padagoola (my
teacher) didn’t say, “I’m going to help this guy over the hump,” I’m
not sure where I would have went with that. - Robert Dutkowsky, CEO
of Tech Data
If you’re hiring sales guys you want to hire guys
that make things happen. - Robert Dutkowsky, CEO of Tech Data
The (IBM HR guy), bless his heart, (asked) "What
do you want to do when you grow up?” I said, “I want to be President
of IBM...And he said, “If you want to do that, you want to be a
salesman. The last six guys who ran IBM started out as salesmen...I
said, “OK, I’m going to go be a salesman... IBM probably hired
50,000 people that year. How did I get the right answers at the
right time? - Robert Dutkowsky, CEO of Tech Data
Friday night my wife would say, “Can we go to the
movies this weekend? Did you sell anything this week?” It was real
commission, hand-to-mouth kind of stuff. - Robert Dutkowsky, CEO of
Tech Data
IBM has a real formalized development program.
Every employee has a development plan. Gary (My mentor) said, “You
have a lot more skill than to be a marketing representative for IBM.
You need to go into management...We’ve decided that you’re going to
move on... You were being groomed for your next job, and your next
job, and your next job. - Robert Dutkowsky, CEO of Tech Data
I was working for Lou Gerstner at the time. He
was chairman of IBM, and he came into my office and asked, “Do you
have any international experience?” I said, “Yes, I lived in
Nebraska once.” I thought that was kind of cute, but he didn’t laugh
at that. In typical Lou fashion, he said “In 90 days you will be
living in Tokyo. Get your wife and family ready for this.” - Robert
Dutkowsky, CEO of Tech Data
About Tech Data
Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ GS:TECD) is one of the world’s largest
distributors of technology products from leading IT hardware and
software producers. Tech Data serves more than 125,000 IT solution
providers in over 100 countries. Every day, these resellers depend
on Tech Data to cost-effectively support the technology needs of end
users, including small and medium businesses (SMB), large
enterprises and government agencies.
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